Capt. Joseph Saunders

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SANDERS, Joseph ,— was, in the year 1665, made commander of the John and Abigail, an hired ship of war. At the very commencement of the action between the duke of York and Opdam, not being able to weather the Dutch fleet which was then engaged with the English on the contrary tack, he formed the gallant though desperate resolution of passing on to leeward, and running the gantlope through the fire of as many of their ships as could bring their guns to bear on him. His daring attempt met with its merited success. After having received broadsides from a number of the enemy's ships, and in particular from Opdam himself, and his vice-admiral, he rejoined his own fleet, though not without considerable loss of men and much damage to his ship. This very conspicuous act of gallantry procured him, immediately afterwards, the command of the Guinea, a small fourth rate; and, early in the ensuing spring, that of the Breda of forty-eight guns. He commanded this ship during the long engagement between the duke of Albemarle (to whose succour prince Rupert came up after the fight had continued two days) and de Ruyter: and, in the signal victory obtained by the same commanders over the same antagonist, on the 25th of July following, he was wounded in the leg by a musket shot; of which wound, though it was thought only of trivial consequence, he unhappily died a very few days afterwards.---Biographia Navalis. J. Charnock, 1794.